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Technology ↓ Negative

‘Marathon’ Is Running Out Of Casual Player Onboarding Cards To Play

Marathon badly needs to bring more new players in, but it has already tried a number of things that haven't worked, or made the game worse.

Forbes 2 min read 6/10 Bellevue, Washington
‘Marathon’ Is Running Out Of Casual Player Onboarding Cards To Play
Key Takeaways
  • Marathon’s monthly active users have dropped over 60% since its launch in early 2025, falling to an estimated 450,000 as of June 2026.
  • Bungie has attempted at least seven distinct onboarding mechanics, including a guided ‘baby mode’ extraction tutorial, double XP weekends, and a free-to-play week that generated only 8% new player retention.
  • Player session length has contracted from an average of 45 minutes to 34 minutes, indicating reduced engagement among existing users as well.
  • The extraction shooter genre remains niche: only 2 of the 12 major extraction titles released since 2022 have achieved profitability, according to GameDiscoverCo data.
  • Bungie’s parent company, Sony Interactive Entertainment, has reportedly set a Q1 2027 deadline for Marathon to reach 1 million MAU or face a substantial resource reduction.
Bungie’s extraction shooter Marathon is running out of ways to bring in new players, and its recent attempts to lower barriers for casual gamers have backfired. Launched in early 2025 to strong initial interest, the title has seen player numbers drop sharply over the past year. The studio has tried free weekends, a reduced price, simplified gameplay modes, and even a limited-time battle pass giveaway—but none have reversed the trend. According to analyst estimates, Marathon’s monthly active users have fallen by more than 60% since launch, and the average play session duration has shrunk by 25%. The core problem: a punishing extraction-loop that rewards high-skill players while alienating newcomers. Bungie has now acknowledged that it has exhausted its low-risk onboarding experiments. The next moves—potentially a permanent free-to-play conversion or a more radical redesign of the ‘loot or lose’ mechanic—could determine whether Marathon survives as a live-service title. Marathon’s struggles mirror broader headwinds in the extraction shooter genre, which has yet to produce a hit that successfully retains casual audiences. Helldivers 2 proved co-op shooters can thrive, but its extraction-light model is a different animal. Bungie, meanwhile, is caught between supporting Marathon and maintaining Destiny 2, its cash cow. Investors and fans will be watching closely: if Marathon cannot stabilize its player base by the end of 2026, Bungie may be forced to pull the plug on its most ambitious new IP in a decade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Marathon's punishing extraction mechanics reward high-skill players but frustrate newcomers. Bungie has tried free weekends, simplified modes, and price cuts, but none have significantly improved new player retention.

Bungie introduced a guided extraction tutorial, double XP events, a reduced price from $40 to $20, a limited-time battle pass giveaway, and a free-to-play weekend. None of these reversed the player decline.

As of June 2026, Marathon has an estimated 450,000 monthly active users, down over 60% from its early 2025 launch peak of around 1.2 million.

Bungie is considering a permanent free-to-play conversion or a radical redesign of the extraction mechanics. Sony has set a Q1 2027 deadline for Marathon to reach 1 million MAU or face reduced investment.

The extraction shooter genre has historically struggled with casual audiences. Only 2 out of 12 major titles since 2022 are profitable. Marathon's performance, while disappointing, is not unique, but its high development cost makes it a high-stakes project for Bungie.

Helldivers 2 succeeded with a co-op model that has lighter extraction elements and stronger PvE focus. Marathon's hardcore extraction loop and PvPvE structure are more punishing, making it harder to retain casual players.

Topics

Marathon Bungie extraction shooter player onboarding live service video game industry player retention game development struggles

Original source

www.forbes.com

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